I do or I don't
by AllInMyStories
Summary: This is a story on Dan Zoe and Marcos and their little love triangle thing. It takes place right after the season finale where Marcos proposed to Zoe right after Dan made out with her in the elevator! Last Chapter up! Story is now finished! R&R!
1. Too Many Apologies

Me: Hey everybody! I finally got in the best mood to write a story on Wild Card. Go me! Well it's partially because I'm really in the mood to write something but I'm totally stumped on my fiction Birds And The Bees, which kind of sucks big time considering I haven't updated it in like forever! Anyway, this story starts at the end of the last episode of Wild Card in Season one....you know when Marcos like proposed to Zoe right after she had finished kissing Dan in the elevator. Don't you just love when they do cliffhangers like that on the season finale? I don't...it's a pain but I soooo cannot wait until the next season comes on! It's gonna be great. Anyway, I don't own the characters so don't sue me! Catch you afterwards.  
  
******  
  
Zoe sat in shock across from her tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend. The beautiful diamond sat in the palm of her hand, soaking in back-washed champagne. Marcos grinned at her waiting for a response and then lessened his smile when she didn't say anything.  
  
"Zoe?" He asked. Zoe didn't answer. Her mind raced at what to respond with. Did she really want to marry Marcos? What about the very passionate kiss with Dan? What was she going to do?  
  
"Marcos." She finally said. The sound of her voice made his smile fade even more.  
  
"Ma'am? Ma'am are you ok? I saw you practically choking and I got here as soon as I could. Can I get you something?" A waiter said, interrupting them in concern.  
  
"Yes. I'm ok." Zoe responded, now looking at the waiter.  
  
"Was there something wrong with the champagne? Let me get you a new bottle on the house."  
  
"No, it's ok. I just...swallowed to hard." She said slowly. Half of her mind was still concentrating on the ring in her palm and the other half was concentrating on what the waiter was saying. Zoe placed the ring on the table and picked up her napkin to dry her hand off. "I think I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back." She said quickly and headed off to the restaurant restroom without even a glance towards Marcos. When she got in there she leaned against the counter and was breathing very hard. Next, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and dialed. Sophia answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sophia! Oh my gosh, help!"  
  
"Zoe?? What's wrong? What's going on?!" Sophia asked concerned. She was lying on her couch with her fiancé at her feet, massaging them.  
  
"Marcos.....he..."  
  
"What?" She sat up now and Peter looked at her even more concerned.  
  
"He proposed to me!" The words spilled from Zoe's mouth and another woman entered the restroom, smiling, so she turned the other way and continued talking to Sophia. "The ring was in the bottom of the champagne glass and I almost choked on it! And then I spit it out and....."  
  
"And what? What did you say?"  
  
"I didn't say anything. The waiter came over and oh my gosh, Sophia, I'm a mess right now."  
  
"Let me guess. Because of a certain someone named Dan Lennox."  
  
"You guessed right. Sophia, I don't know what to do. Dan kissed me. In the elevator after work and oooh! it was such a great kiss."  
  
"He kissed you?" Sophia asked, not expecting that. Peter kind of got the gist of what the two females were talking about and decided to ignore them by going into the kitchen but Sophia didn't care. She was more concerned with Zoe.  
  
"He kissed me. And I'm not talking about a little grade school peck. I'm talking passionate, long damn kiss with tongue. What am I going to do?"  
  
"I can't tell you what to do Zoe. It's up to you. Are your feelings for Marcos strong enough to marry him or not?" Zoe didn't answer. "Zoe? Zoe?" Sophia called. "Are you there?"  
  
"Yes, I'm here."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"God, I don't know." Zoe said and faced the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful pink dress and her hair was done up so she would look perfect for her date. "I got dressed for this date tonight thinking 'Oh it's just another evening out with Marcos.' And then Dan kissed me and I thought 'Wow!' and now Marcos proposed to me. Sophia, I've never had these kind of feelings for a man until Marcos and then Dan happened and I'm so confused about my feelings for him. I know there's a connection. There is a connection with both men. Marcos is so good with the kids and Dan is the dream guy you know? I just don't have any clue on what I'm going to do."  
  
"Well, obviously you can't say 'yes' to the proposal if you're this confused." She responded.  
  
"Yeah, I have to go. He's going to think I drowned in the sink or something." Zoe said sarcastically and it made Sophia chuckle. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye." The two women hung up the phone. Sophia went back to Peter and Zoe took a few deeps breaths before heading back to the table. Marcos was holding the ring now, looking at it but not smiling.  
  
"You're back."  
  
"Yes, I am." She said while sitting. Zoe fidgeted uncomfortably without looking at him.  
  
"Zoe. You turned out to be more shocked then I thought you would be."  
  
"Marcos." Zoe hesitated. "That is such a beautiful ring and this is so romantic."  
  
"But." He said, knowing what was coming.  
  
"I'm just not ready. This is all too much for me to handle right now." He frowned and looked at the ring. "Marcos, I think you are such a great guy and I really enjoy being with you and having you spend time with Taylor, Cliff, and Hannah."  
  
"But you're not ready for marriage. For commitment." She nodded in response and looked at him apologetically. There was a long pause before he spoke up again. "Ok. I can wait."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"It's going to practically kill me but hey, love does that right."  
  
"Love?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, love. What? Did you really think I would propose without loving you? Zoe...you're the first girl that I've loved in a long time and you know that. Maybe I didn't come out and flat out say 'Zoe, I love you.' But I hinted and I thought you got that." Zoe kept quiet for awhile and eventually the food came and the waiter could sense some tension between the couple.  
  
"You know, I really don't feel that hungry anymore." She said staring at her food.  
  
"Well then we can just talk." He responded, taking another sip of his drink. Zoe nodded nervously. "What were you saying before you almost choked on well....the ring." He finished the sentence quietly.  
  
"Huh?" She responded. Once again, her concentration was on two different things.  
  
"You said that something funny happened at work. What was it?" He asked. Zoe's eyes widened. She had been about to tell him about the kiss she had with Dan before he proposed, but then she had completely forgotten about it when he did. "Zoe?"  
  
"It was nothing, just something stupid that doesn't matter." She lied trying to cover it up. There was another long, awkward pause between them. "You know Marcos. This is really uncomfortable right now. I think I just better go."  
  
"Oh, ok." He responded slowly. Zoe stood up and grabbed her purse and then looked at him again.  
  
"I'm sorry. I really am Marcos." She said before turning and half running to the exit of the restaurant. He watched her leave and then pulled out the ring he had placed in his pocket after she said no. Marcos had a real look of disappointment on his face and people where staring at him from all directions, even some of the waiters.  
  
***  
  
Zoe had tears running down her cheeks on her drive home. The night had completely taken her by surprise and she had no idea on what she was going to do. She knew that she hurt Marcos by turning down his proposal but he told her that he would wait. But then what about Dan? It wasn't that late but it was past Hannah's bedtime so she had expected at least the youngest child to be asleep when she got home. Before entering her home, Zoe wiped away the tears as much as she could. Taylor was sitting on the couch with Julian, the next door neighbor and Cliff and Hannah were no where in site.  
  
"Aunt Zoe? You're home early."  
  
"I didn't feel well and we were tired so we ended the night shorter than usual." She partially lied, heading for the stairs. Taylor got up and walked over to her before she was completely out of the room. Zoe's mascara had run down half of her face from the corners of her eyes and Taylor could tell she had been crying.  
  
"I don't think that's what really happened." She said while pulling her aunt back down the steps she had taken. Julian got off the couch and joined them. "What did happen Aunt Zoe?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it right now ok." Zoe said annoyingly and started back up the steps. Taylor let her go and looked back a Julian.  
  
"I should go see what's wrong. This has got to be big."  
  
"Ok, then I'll just head home."  
  
"Thanks for helping me baby-sit Julian. I appreciate it."  
  
"Anytime Taylor, you can count on me."  
  
"Thanks." She said again and they looked at each other for while. Eventually he made a move and gave her a hug and then left. Taylor stood there for a while and then headed upstairs. She knocked on her aunt's door and walked in when she got no response. Zoe was sitting at her desk, still in her dress. "Aunt Zoe?" Taylor asked.  
  
"Taylor." Zoe answered in an annoying voice. "Did I not make it clear that I don't want to talk right now."  
  
"You just seemed so upset. I just wanted to be there for you like you were there for me when that whole thing with Ryder happened, you know?" Taylor said innocently.  
  
"I know sweetie. I'm sorry, I just didn't have a very good night."  
  
"I can tell that much. What happened?" She asked concerned. Zoe hesitated and then turned around.  
  
"Marcos proposed to me."  
  
"Oh my god! Aunt Zoe!" Taylor's eyes got wider and she ran to sit across from her Aunt on the bed. "What did you say?" Zoe looked at her niece and hesitated again.  
  
"I said no." They were both silent for awhile.  
  
"Is it because of Mr. Lennox?"  
  
"Why does everybody think it's always because of Mr. Dan Lennox?" Zoe asked. Taylor just looked at her. "Ok, is it that obvious that it's because of Dan?" This time, Taylor nodded. "Oh god...." Zoe sighed and went into her bathroom.  
  
"So, how did he take it?" Taylor asked.  
  
"Marcos?" Zoe asked and she nodded. "I knew he felt disappointed and everything but he said if I needed time, that's what he would give me, which makes this even harder because that is so sweet...." The two women were silent while Zoe got dressed into her pajamas. "I need some sleep." Zoe said after a while.  
  
"Yeah, I should get some to." Taylor stood up and made her way to the door. "Goodnight Aunt Zoe, I love you."  
  
"I love you Taylor, goodnight." Zoe responded and then shut off the light and went to bed.  
  
***  
  
The next morning Zoe came into work as usual but this time she felt awkward being there. She was a bit worried and nervous about seeing Dan after that amazing kiss they shared the night before. Dan saw her come in and go into her office and then decided to join her.  
  
"Goodmorning." He said while standing at the door, holding his coffee. Zoe had been turned around putting papers in a file cabinet when he had greeted her and it made her jump. "Off to a bit of a rough start today Zoe?" He asked, laughing at her.  
  
"Very funny." She said now facing him. They fell silent as he stood there and looked up and down her body. She had decided to dress plain that day so she didn't make herself look too sexy in front of him. A black and blue pin striped suit with a light blue scarf around her neck and her hair hanging around her beautiful face. Dan seemed to think she looked even sexier because he knew what she was trying to do.  
  
"So, how are you?" He asked finally.  
  
"Fine." Zoe walked towards the door and past him. He followed her as she made her way to the coffee to get some for herself. Nervously she poured the hot, black liquid into her cup and added some sugar and cream.  
  
"Not your usual talkative this morning Zoe. Is something wrong?" He asked.  
  
"You're really getting a kick out of this aren't you?" She asked now looking up at his face and into his eyes.  
  
"Why, I have no idea what you're talking about Ms. Busiek." Zoe rolled her eyes at his response and headed back to her office, slamming the door behind her and shutting him out. She sat down in front of her computer and signed into her email account.  
  
"You've got mail." The computerized voice said and it startled her. There were two messages in her email. The first one she opened was from her best friend Candy. It said:  
  
Hey Zoe! Girl, I just got back to Las Vegas and started my job today. It's ok but it is nothing like when I used to work with you. I'm sorry things happened the way they did when I came to visit you. You know I am and you know that I would never intentionally hurt you Zoe. You are my girl and you always will be. So, how is Dan? I think there is something you should know Zoe............when I was dating him for that short period of time well, something happened. We were kissing one night and getting pretty.....you know...into it and he said your name. He said, "Oh Zoe." That's how I knew that I wasn't the right woman for him. You are Zoe.....you are and I know you have Marcos and you are really started to fall for him and I also know that you have that connection with Dan that you told me about and...Zoe I may be a blonde, but I'm not dumb enough to not realize the connection between you two. You tried to cover it up because I took interest in him but now that's over so..honey he's all yours and I just want you to be happy Zoe. You know I love you and all that I want is pure happiness for you. So.....I guess what I'm getting at is..what are you going to do?  
  
Love forever and always from your girl, Candy!  
  
Zoe read the letter twice and couldn't believe that what happened between Candy and Dan really happened. Did he really say her name in the middle of kissing her best friend? Zoe saved the email because she wasn't in the mood to respond right away and moved on to the next one. It turned out just to be a work bulletin. A few minutes later she was getting ready to sign off when the computer made the noise, telling her that she had another email. The sender was Dan Lennox. Zoe's head snapped in the direction of his office but his mini-blinds where closed. Nervously, she opened the email and started to read.  
  
Zoe,  
I know that kiss between us caught you by complete surprise but I thought it was worth it. Will you meet me tonight for dinner at my apartment around 7:30? I think we need to talk.  
  
Love, Dan  
  
Zoe started at the email and thought it through. After a few minutes she responded.  
  
Dear Dan,  
  
Yes. I will meet you tonight for dinner at your apartment because I think we need to talk about this. A lot of things have happened the in the past twenty-four hours and I need to sort through them. I'll see you this evening at 7:30.  
  
Yours truly, Zoe  
  
Dan received the email and sat back with a grin on his face. 'Yes.' He thought. 'Finally.'  
  
***  
  
That night, Zoe went home early to get ready for her date with Dan. She was extremely nervous about it since she had just turned down a marriage proposal from her boyfriend. She showered and dressed. Hannah came in when she was spraying her best perfume. Neither Cliff nor Hannah knew about what happened the previous night.  
  
"Oh boy, Cliff she's putting on her best perfume."  
  
"She must have another date with Coach." He said entering the room with Hannah and Zoe there.  
  
"No, I do not have a date with Coach." She responded.  
  
"Then who?" Hannah asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, who else is there now Aunt Zoe?" Cliff stated sarcastically.  
  
"For your information, she has a date with Mr. Lennox." Taylor said entering the room.  
  
"Kids, can we please not do this." Zoe pleaded, heading for her purse and checking herself once more in the mirror. The three kids all shrugged and followed her downstairs and into the foyer. She grabbed her coat. "Taylor, you're babysitter again. No Julian this time please. He's a nice boy but....just not tonight all right?" Zoe said and Taylor nodded. "Cliff, Hannah, be good for your sister. I don't want any complaints. It's Saturday so you shouldn't have any homework because you should have done it yesterday when you got home from school, right?" The two younger children looked away in guilt. "Finish it so I can check it tomorrow all right. I have no idea when I will be home but it shouldn't be too late. If you are asleep when I do though, goodnight and I love you guys ok." Zoe said quickly, heading for the door.  
  
"Have fun." Taylor and Hannah said while Cliff was silent and watched her go. When they heard the car drive off, Taylor immediately reached for the phone and dialed the number of one of her closest girlfriends, Cliff went back upstairs and to his room questioning how his Aunt could do that to his coach and teacher, and Hannah went to the TV with a bag of chips.  
  
Zoe arrived at Dan's apartment building within fifteen minutes of driving there. On her way up in the elevator she thought about how she needed to find out which guy she wanted and she had to do it fast. A gut feeling told her that Marcos wasn't going to wait around forever and if Dan turned out to be the guy she rejects, she doesn't want to go back to Marcos and have him not be there. Dan answered the door with a smile and two glasses of white wine. She set her purse down in the foyer and accepted the drink. Zoe was still extremely nervous about being there. The two didn't talk much while eating dinner. They hardly spoke a word that involved anything besides work. After dinner they placed their dishes in the sink and Dan poured them some more wine.  
  
"I finally got you alone Zoe." He said quietly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, every time I tried to ask you out for coffee or anything, we always seemed to be interrupted somehow."  
  
"Oh." She said slowly. They fell silent again. "This was a lovely dinner Dan."  
  
"Thank you. I enjoyed preparing it for you." He responded and inched closer to her. "They stared into each other's eyes for minutes and they both started breathing a little heavier and faster. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  
  
"Maybe. What are you thinking?" Zoe asked nervously.  
  
"I'm thinking about kissing you." He said and his face got inches away from hers as he took the wineglass out of her hand and set it on the counter. She nodded in agreement and he knew it was time to make his move. Dan's lips slowly touched Zoe's and his hands held her arms. The two had shared two other kisses before but none like this. The other two were long, fast, and passionate while this one was long, slow, and romantic. Zoe loved it and it showed her that he could do all styles of kissing a woman. They broke from each other and a deep sigh came from her. "I've wanted to kiss you like that for a long time Zoe." He said eventually. Zoe looked up at him.  
  
"Do it again." She said with a smile and he kissed her again. She rapped her arms around his neck and his went around her torso. Slowly, their pace increased. Dan led her to the living room area of his nice apartment and slowly laid her down on the couch and placed his own body on top of hers. They're kissing didn't stop and her hands slid up the back of his shirt, rubbing his bare back. He had muscle and she liked it. Dan's hand moved up and down her sides and eventually down her thigh, while the other one held her face, neck, and hair. Zoe couldn't believe what was happening. Her heart raced along with her mind. All of a sudden she pushed him away. "Stop."  
  
"What?" He asked confused. Zoe looked at his face and her lipstick was all over his lips. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I can't do this." She slid out from under him and straightened her clothing.  
  
"Why not? Is something wrong?" He asked. He already knew something was obviously wrong, he just didn't know what. Zoe was quiet as she headed towards the foyer to get her coat on. "Is it me?" He asked as he followed her to the foyer. She turned around with her coat on to find him standing only a few inches away from her.  
  
"No, it's not you. It's me. Dan, you're a sexy man who I want to do that with, but I just can't. Not right now anyway." She said and then picked up her purse and placed her hand on the doorknob. "I'm sorry." It was the second time she had said that in the past day and she was sick of it. Zoe looked at him one more time and then headed out the door. Dan stood there confused with his clothes tangled and lipstick on his face.  
  
*****  
  
Me: Hey everybody! That's chapter one! How do you like it so far??! It's taken me forever to write because I've had so many distractions but I did finally get it done and I hope you guys like it. Reviews are welcome and wanted. Bye! 


	2. Lank's Mountain Part 1

Me: Hey everybody!! What's up?!!!! I'm back with another chapter. Thank you very much so far for all the reviews.....I really didn't expect to get as many as I got but hey! Wild Card is a pretty popular show. Well, it's more popular than Strong Medicine obviously or the stories on this site are because I get more reviews for a chapter of Wild Card than I did for a chapter of Strong Medicine and I'm rambling so I'm going to just say that I don't own any characters and stuff and then I'm going to let you read Chapter 2 of I Do or I Don't.  
  
The next morning, Zoe came into work late and Sophia met her at the elevator near their offices.  
  
"You're late."  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't get much sleep, and it's been a busy morning. I didn't even have time to get coffee." Zoe said, responding to her boss.  
  
"Oh. No coffee. That busy huh?"  
  
"Taylor was nagging me to go shopping tomorrow but I'm probably going to have to be here. Cliff kept talking about Marcos all morning so I was trying to tune him out." Zoe started explaining as they headed into her office. Sophia gave her a look. "I haven't told Cliff or Hannah what happened yet, but I will. Someday."  
  
"Ok Zoe. Come on, Dan's waiting in the conference room for us." Sophia said and Zoe dropped the papers that were in her hands at the sound of his name. She glanced toward the conference room door. "Is something wrong?"  
  
"No, nothing." Zoe lied and then the two women headed into the conference room. Dan stood up as they came in and smiled. Sophia and Zoe sat down and Zoe started pouring herself some coffee. She didn't look Dan straight in the eye at all.  
  
"Let's get down to business." Sophia said. "Megan Rict. Twenty four year old women whose car was wrapped around a tree in Lanks Mountain yesterday morning."  
  
"Lanks Mountain?" Zoe said, trying to remember where it was.  
  
"It's a one of the big mountains about two hours away from here." Dan said and Sophia looked at him. "I've been hiking there a few times."  
  
"Well, the only road on that mountain was repaved the day before it happened. It hadn't completely dried towards the end of the road and she claims there was no sign saying that the road was off limits."  
  
"So, she's alive?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Barely. Her family is helping her file the claim."  
  
"Why wasn't there a sign?" Dan asked.  
  
"We don't know. That's what you two need to figure out. The family thinks the construction company that repaved the road is at fault, but we don't know if that's for sure or not. So, here's the file. Get to work and update me every now and then." She finished up and left the conference room. Zoe took another sip of her coffee.  
  
"Where to first?" Dan asked and it slightly startled her from the silence.  
  
"Um.........we should probably check out the actual damage to the car and everything first."  
  
"File says it's at the auto repair/impound joint in town." Dan said and Zoe grabbed the file from him. As she read the name of the place the car was at, she set down her coffee. "What's wrong?" He asked.  
  
"It's nothing." She lied again. It was something though. It was the same place that her sister's car was taken after the accident. "Let's get going. Your car or mine?"  
  
"We can take mine. I'll drive." He said simply, knowing that something was wrong with her but not daring enough to ask what again.  
  
After about a twenty-minute car ride in silence, the two fraud investigators arrived at the auto repair/impound place and went inside. Memories flashed through Zoe's mind. Memories of the phone call she got saying there had been an accident and memories of investigating what really happened in that accident. The same man who had been working there when Zoe had gone there before, walked around the corner of the front desk when he saw them enter.  
  
"Hello. Can I help you?"  
  
"Hi." Zoe said, breaking her mind from the memories. "I don't know if you remember me but-"  
  
"Yeah, I remember you. You're that fraud lady from a while back. What can I do for you?" The man said.  
  
"We're here to look at Megan Rict's vehicle. It's a 1999 Honda Acura I believe." Dan said.  
  
"Ahh...yes. The tree accident. Follow me." He said and led them out the back door to the storage lot of all the vehicles. When they approached Megan's car, Zoe gasped quietly and turned away from the sight. The car's front end was smashed into the front seats and the windshield had been shattered into a thousand little pieces of glass. Dan walked around and looked inside the use to be window. The seat belt was broken off of both seats in the front and blood was sprayed all over the damaged car. Zoe finally looked back at the car and pain filled her face.  
  
"How could she live through something like this?" She asked quietly.  
  
"It looks like she was one of the lucky ones." Dan answered back quietly. He turned back to the service man. "Was there anything else wrong with the car?"  
  
"I haven't exactly been able to completely check it out yet, but I can say that it's going to be hard to find anything with so much damage. The engine is practically smashed. The only thing I could possibly look at would be some wires and stuff that goes completely through the front of the vehicle and to the trunk."  
  
"Like the brakes?" Zoe asked.  
  
"Well, yes." The man answered. Zoe nodded. "Contact us after you check it out, even if you don't find anything."  
  
"Will do." He said and Zoe and Dan headed back out to his car.  
  
"Where to now?" He asked.  
  
"How about the hospital? See if she's willing to talk." Zoe said as they started driving off.  
  
"Do you really think she'll be ok enough to?"  
  
"Since when do you care if a patient is ok enough to talk?" Zoe asked harshly, then fell silent wishing she could take back the words.  
  
"Since one of those patients was you." He stated referring to when she got shot while working on one of his cases. Zoe fell silent even more and looked out the window.  
  
At the hospital, Megan Rict's parents sat in the waiting room when Zoe and Dan approached them.  
  
"Mr. and Mrs. Rict?" Dan asked. The man and the woman looked up at them and nodded. "Hi. We're the fraud investigators. Do you mind if we talk with you a moment?" They shook their heads this time and Zoe and Dan took it as a cue to sit down.  
  
"How is she?" Zoe asked with concern.  
  
"Better than yesterday but still pretty bad." Mr. Rict said quietly. "It's surprising that she wasn't killed instantly. She was lucky."  
  
"Yes, she was." Dan said, also with concern. Zoe glanced at him and then back to the parents.  
  
"Would Megan be willing to talk to us sometime today?"  
  
"She might be able to later tonight." Mrs. Rict said.  
  
"Did she tell you what happened?" Dan asked.  
  
"Just enough to file the claim, but you should really hear it from her. I don't know if I can tell it exactly." Mr. Rict said. Zoe and Dan nodded.  
  
"We'll return tonight around seven. Is that ok?"  
  
"Yes, that's fine." Mr. Rict said. Zoe and Dan shook their hands and left the hospital. They both jumped into Dan's car and headed out of the parking lot.  
  
"Do you think the construction company will be willing to talk without an attorney present?" Zoe asked.  
  
"I don't know. Let's go find out." Dan answered quickly and then turned up the music. Zoe looked out the window, knowing that her comment earlier had bothered him.  
  
When they arrived at the construction company's office buildings, they had to wait to see the manager. He had agreed to see them without an attorney there and had also agreed to have a few of the construction workers who worked on the road before the accident come to the office buildings to meet with them. Once again, Zoe and Dan sat in silence until the man came out of his office.  
  
"Ms. Buisek, Mr. Lennox. Why don't we go into my office? Jack, Paul, Ben, and Steve, the construction workers, aren't here yet. Do you mind waiting?"  
  
"Not at all." Dan said and the three headed into the manager's office. "Mr. Wheeler, how many men were working on Lanks Mountain?"  
  
"Around twenty of my best men were working on that road for the past weeks. It's a long road."  
  
"Yes, I know." Dan said.  
  
"I have talked to most of the men and they all say the same thing. That they put a sign at the beginning of the road to mark it as off limits to any vehicles."  
  
"Well, the police say that they haven't found any such sign anywhere near Lanks Mountain and that there were never any signs that there was one in the first place." Dan said, as four large men knocked on the office door. Mr. Wheeler stood and let them in. They all introduced themselves and took a seat in the office.  
  
"We put a sign out." Paul said, having heard what Dan had said from outside the door. "We swear we did."  
  
"Really? Or do you just not want to get in any trouble because a twenty four year old woman almost died because of it?" Zoe said.  
  
"We swear." Steve said. "We even counted the number of signs we have left in our trucks and with the one we put on Lanks Mountain not in there, there is exactly the right amount."  
  
"The police can't use that as evidence that it's not your fault." Zoe said. "You're going to have to come up with something better than that if you want to get out of this."  
  
"Anybody could have taken that sign." Ben said. The four men were growing angry.  
  
"Yeah, anybody could have. But you could have also forgotten to put one on the road." Dan said. "Now, before we jump to conclusions." He said and glanced at Zoe. She glanced back at him. "We've got to have more information. Right now, there is a auto repairman taking a look at what's left of Megan Rict's vehicle, and I believe the police are still investigating the actual crash scene. But just to let you know, if this turns out to be your fault, it's going to cost each worker that worked on that road more if they don't confess first." He said and grabbed Zoe. "I think we're done here. We'll be in touch." Dan and Zoe headed back out of the office building and back to his car.  
  
"That was short." She commented.  
  
"We got the info we needed." He said, while starting his car.  
  
"Ok." She said quietly. Dan cranked up the music again but Zoe turned it back down. "Who could have taken that sign? Who would want to?" She asked.  
  
"Teenagers playing games probably, or maybe somebody has a grudge against her. Remember Zoe, just because she is barely alive and has been through such tragedy doesn't mean she was the nicest person in the world before."  
  
"I know. I just......I don't know." She said quietly. They fell silent and after awhile Dan turned his music back on. When they arrived back at their offices, they updated Sophia and then Dan went into his office. Zoe followed him.  
  
"I've got to get going." He said. "I have some stuff to do before we go back to the hospital tonight." Zoe nodded in response. "Tomorrow, I was thinking maybe we should go for a little hike and see what we can find."  
  
"You mean up Lanks Mountain?" Zoe said surprised. "Me and you?"  
  
"What's wrong with that?"  
  
"Dan, we're not two of the best nature people around here. Well, at least I'm not."  
  
"I'm pretty good at hiking. Like I said, I've done it before. It's a piece of cake."  
  
"Who says we'll find anything?" She asked trying to work her way out of it as he picked up his briefcase to leave.  
  
"Who says we won't?" He said. Zoe sighed finally giving in.  
  
"Fine. We'll talk more about this tonight." She said and returned to her own office.  
  
Taylor sat on the front porch swing with Julian, her neighbor. They had been talking about school and everything when out of nowhere, he brings up Ryder, Taylor's ex-boyfriend.  
  
"Have you talk to him lately?"  
  
"No. I haven't heard from him." She said quietly, wanted him to change the subject again.  
  
"So it's officially over between the two of you?"  
  
"I guess so." She responded getting more and more annoyed.  
  
"Are you over him completely or are you just giving up on him?"  
  
"What is this, the game twenty one questions or something?" She finally asked, breaking her shell of trying to hide her feelings about Ryder. Julian looked at her wide-eyed and then at his feet. "Julian, I'm sorry. I'm just uncomfortable talking about Ryder right now."  
  
"Taylor, I'm just trying to clear some stuff up here. Are we just friends or are we something more? Because you're kind of sending mix signals." He responded.  
  
"Julian." She said quietly and stood up. Her fingers started running along the banister of the porch as she paused. "I..." She started but couldn't finish.  
  
"What is it Taylor?"  
  
"I'm not ready for another relationship. Not yet." She blurted out, not looking at him. When she finally did look at him, she could see a bit of pain in his faces.  
  
"Ok. Fine." He said and stood up to leave.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"Home." He said. "I'll talk to you later." Julian left in a hurry down the porch steps as Zoe walked up the walkway.  
  
"Julian!" Taylor called after him but stopped when she saw her Aunt standing there with a surprised look on her face.  
  
"What's going on?" Zoe asked concerned.  
  
"Nothing." Taylor lied. Zoe took it in and decided not to press on the situation.  
  
"Where is your brother and sister?"  
  
"Hannah's still at her friends house and Cliff is upstairs. His friend is over." Taylor answered.  
  
"What friend?"  
  
"Melissa or something like that."  
  
"It's a girl?! In his room?! Taylor!!" Zoe yelled and ran into the house.  
  
"What's the big deal? It's Cliff, Aunt Zoe." Taylor responded from the porch.  
  
"If he's anything like this family, it is a big deal." She said quietly and headed upstairs. She knocked on Cliff's door and opened it quickly. "Hi." She said. Cliff and his friend Melissa were sitting on the floor next to his bed, listening to a CD of Cliff's and looking at books. Cliff noticed his Aunt standing there and turned down the music. "What are you doing?" Zoe asked casually.  
  
"Just hanging out." Cliff answered innocently. Melissa smiled at Zoe.  
  
"Oh, can I talk to you in the hallway Cliff?" Zoe asked and motioned for him to get out there. He stood up and closed the door behind him.  
  
"What's up?" He asked.  
  
"You know the rules Clifford. Downstairs only with girls in the house." Zoe stated simply.  
  
"I know Aunt Zoe. The only reason we came up here was because we wanted to listen to my new CD." He said.  
  
"No excuses. Get downstairs now." Zoe said firmly and started back down the stairs. Cliff went back into his room and smiled at Melissa.  
  
"That was close one." She said with a sigh. "If you're Aunt would have caught us doing what we were doing then..."  
  
"We would have both been in a crap load of trouble." Cliff said and started gathering his CDs to take downstairs. Melissa approached him from behind and grabbed him around the waist.  
  
"It was fun though wasn't it?" She said with a grin. Cliff turned around and held her in return.  
  
"It's always fun making out." He stated and pecked her lips.  
  
"Or doing more than that." She said.  
  
"And you know this from experience?" He asked curiously.  
  
"Well, yeah. Duh. I thought you knew that."  
  
"That you weren't a virgin?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." She said and backed away from him. "Is that ok with you Cliff?"  
  
"Yeah, it's totally cool." He said and opened the door. "Come on. We have to go downstairs now." She frowned at him, but followed him down the steps.  
  
Later that night, Zoe and Taylor were cooking when Hannah got home from her friend's house.  
  
"Did you have fun?" Zoe asked.  
  
"It was a blast, like always." Hannah said sarcastically.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"All Shelly talked about was this guy in our . She's obsessed with him and I'm sick of it." Hannah stated while turning on the TV. Zoe and Taylor looked at each other and giggled.  
  
"Why are you sick of it?" Taylor asked. Hannah got back up from the couch, turning the TV off, and came into the kitchen.  
  
"Because, I am." She stated firmly and looked at what they were cooking. "What is that?" She asked.  
  
"Noodles." Zoe said, surprised at the tone in her niece's voice. "It's what's for dinner. You're eating it."  
  
"I didn't say I wasn't." Hannah said and plopped down at the table.  
  
"What's with the attitude?" Taylor asked.  
  
"Oh, Taylor, you did the same thing when you were her age." Zoe said. "I remember your mother used to call me up-"Zoe said but stopped when she got two surprised looks from her nieces. They hadn't spoken of their mother in a while. "And tell me that you were giving her attitude and that you needed to be set straight." She finished. Taylor and Hannah fell silent and looked at something besides their Aunt. "So anyway, Hannah." Zoe said and sat next to the girl at the table. "Does being angry with Shelly have anything to do with the fact that you might like this boy to?" She asked slowly.  
  
"Maybe." Hannah said. Zoe smiled and then looked at Taylor for her to jump in on the boy conversation.  
  
"Don't look at me Aunt Zoe. I'm not one who can really talk about relationships with guys right now." Taylor responded.  
  
"Neither am I." Zoe said quietly.  
  
"What?" Hannah asked.  
  
"Nothing, dinners almost ready." Zoe responded.  
  
"And it's your night to set the table Hannah." Taylor said. The little girl sighed and headed for the cupboards for dishes. Cliff walked into the room as he was hanging up the phone that was originally in his ear. "Who was that?" Taylor asked curiously.  
  
"Coach." Cliff answered. Zoe dropped the big metal spoon she was stirring with and startled all three children. "He's on his way over Aunt Zoe. He says he needs to talk to you."  
  
"What?! Clifford, did you tell him about the-"  
  
"Date with Mr. Lennox? Yeah, so." Cliff said.  
  
"Cliff!" Taylor and Zoe said together and then glanced at each other.  
  
"He didn't seem to care." Cliff stated.  
  
"Right." Zoe said and hurried up the stairs. "Finish cooking Taylor, I'll be right back." After their Aunt had disappeared, Taylor gave Cliff a death look.  
  
"What?!" He asked. "What's the big deal?"  
  
"He proposed to her. That's the big deal." Taylor blurted out and regretted what she had just told her younger siblings.  
  
"Whao!! What? Coach proposed to Aunt Zoe?"  
  
"And she said no so can you possibly imagine what it's going to be like seeing him right now." Taylor said, lowering her voice.  
  
"Why did she say no?" Hannah asked.  
  
"I don't know. She wasn't ready." Taylor lied.  
  
"It's because of Mr. Lennox isn't it?" Hannah asked and Taylor didn't respond. "Ohhh!! Dan and Zoe sittin' in a tree, k-I-s-s-I-n-g." Hannah started singing and dancing around the kitchen like a little girl, as Zoe bolted down the stairs and back into the kitchen. She had obviously changed outfits and put on more make up. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a-"Zoe cupped her hand over Hannah's mouth to shut her up and then immediately looked at Taylor.  
  
"Taylor!"  
  
"It just came out. I'm sorry." She responded. Hannah got quiet under her Aunts hand so Zoe let go.  
  
"k-I-s-s-I-n-g!" Hannah said and Zoe tried to grab for her again but she ran away. Zoe playfully chased her niece around the kitchen but eventually gave up when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" Hannah yelled and ran for the door. Zoe tried to stop her but it didn't work. They could hear Marcos enter the home, greeted by Hannah. Zoe took a deep breath and then smiled, waiting for him to come into the kitchen. When he did, the kids smiled at him and he smiled back. Then he saw Zoe, and lessened his smile to a slight grin.  
  
"You staying for dinner Coach?" Cliff asked.  
  
"No, I can't. I'm sorry. I just need to talk to your Aunt real quick." He responded. Cliff frowned and then shrugged. Zoe approached him.  
  
"We can talk on the porch." She said firmly and headed out the door. He followed her. Taylor continued cooking, thinking that she would get the details later, while Cliff and Hannah peered out the kitchen window. When they both got an evil glance from their Aunt they stopped peering and kept setting the table for dinner.  
  
"Zoe." He began.  
  
"Don't." She interrupted him. "I know what you're going to say and I don't know if I'm exactly sorry Marcos. I'm still trying to make up my mind about everything and that kiss was just so amazing and then you. You are so sweet and like I said I'm just trying to make my mind." She rambled without thinking.  
  
"What? Zoe I came to talk to you about a benefit for the team. I'm going around every parents house to give them this." He said and handed her the invitation. "Wait a minute. What kiss?" He asked curiously. Zoe's jaw dropped at what she had mistakenly blurted out.  
  
"It was nothing Marcos."  
  
"Obviously it wasn't if you're still trying to make up your mind about something." He said. Zoe looked at her feet and then back up at him.  
  
"It was Dan."  
  
"Lennox?!" Marcos asked, half surprised.  
  
"Yes. He kissed me right before I went to dinner with you a few night ago." She said with some guilt.  
  
"Is that why you said no to me?" He asked offended. "Zoe. You made me believe that you wanted to wait because you just weren't ready for marriage. Not because you wanted to make up your mind if I'm the one or if he is."  
  
"I know. Marcos-"Zoe started.  
  
"Don't." He interrupted her. He looked at the invitation and then handed it to her. "I hope to see you there." He simply said. Zoe looked at him and could she the pain she had caused. Marcos backed away from her and went back to his car to leave. Zoe stared after him for awhile, trying to believe what had happened and what she had done. She didn't go want into the house for several minutes. At least, not until Hannah came out to get her because dinner was ready.  
  
Throughout the meal, they ate in silence. When Zoe glanced at the clock on the kitchen stove, she noticed it was seven thirty.  
  
"Oh no." She said under her breath.  
  
"What is it?" Taylor asked.  
  
"I was supposed to be at the hospital to talk to somebody thirty minutes ago." Zoe answered and jumped up from the kitchen table. She grabbed her pursed and kissed all three children's heads. "Get to bed on time, and clean this kitchen up. Thanks for helping me cook Taylor. Be good. Don't burn the house down!" She called while headed out the door. Zoe fumbled through her purse while walking down the walkway. Suddenly she ran into somebody. She looked up to see Dan. Zoe hadn't been that close to his body the entire day and it just reminded her more of the previous night, but then of Marcos. "I'm so sorry Dan. I know, I totally forgot but a lot as been happening tonight. Is it to late to go see her or-"  
  
"I've already been to the hospital." He said, interrupting her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I went there to meet you. You didn't show, so I did the interview by myself." He stated, walking back up the walkway to her porch.  
  
"Well, what did Megan say?" Zoe asked, following him.  
  
"She told me the story. How she was heading to the mountains and there was no sign on the road. How her car slipped on the slippery road and she blacked out at impact of the vehicle hitting the tree."  
  
"That's it? Nothing weird happened?" She asked. Dan shook his head.  
  
"If anything did, she doesn't remember it." He stated, sitting on the swing. Zoe joined him, but set her purse near the door before she did.  
  
"So where does that leave us on this investigation?" She asked.  
  
"Only at the beginning." He said quietly and pushed the ground for them to swing a little faster. "You up for that hike tomorrow?" He asked after a short pause.  
  
"I guess so. Why not? Maybe it'll get us somewhere beside where we are right now." She said. "In the case." She added nervously. He stopped the swing and stood up.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow." He said. Zoe stood up next to him and held out her hand for him to shake it. He responded with a handshake but pulled her in for a hug. At first, she wanted to resist it but then she slowly relaxed in his arms, letting him take her away with his scents and strong grip. After they broke from the hug, Dan left and Zoe went back inside to find her nieces and nephew cleaning the kitchen.  
  
The next morning, Dan called Zoe's house and Hannah answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Hannah. It's Mr. Lennox. Is you're Aunt there?" He asked from his cell phone.  
  
"She's still asleep."  
  
"Do you think she would mind if I came over there and woke her up? We've got some work to do."  
  
"Probably. But you can anyway." Hannah answered.  
  
"Ok, I'm on my way over right now."  
  
"All right. See ya Mr. Lennox."  
  
"Bye Hannah." He said and hung up his cell phone.  
  
Within fifteen minutes, he arrived at Zoe's house and rang the doorbell. Hannah answered.  
  
"Hi Hannah. Are you the only one up this morning or something?"  
  
"Cliff is awake but not downstairs. Everybody else is still sleeping." She responded and motioned for him to come inside. "Aunt Zoe's room is the first on the right at the top of the stairs." She said and headed into the kitchen. Dan hesitated but then walked up the stairs and found Zoe's bedroom door cracked open. Inside, he could she her curled up in the covers, fast asleep. Dan opened the door and walked inside. He wasn't exactly sure if he should be doing this but he did anyway. As he sat down next to her on the bed, she stirred in her sleep. His hands gently touched her waist and shook it, in an effort to wake her up.  
  
"Zoe." He whispered in her ear. "Zoe." He said more slowly this time. She slowly opened her eyes to see what was going on. When she saw his appearance in front of her face and felt his hand on her hip, she jumped slightly away from him.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked quietly.  
  
"Hannah let me in. It's time for our little hike."  
  
Zoe looked at the clock on her nightstand. "It's like 7 in the morning Dan."  
  
"This is going to probably take all day. Come on, get up. Get ready, it's time to go." He said and got up from her bed. Zoe looked at him and then realized she probably looked horrible, as if she had been sleeping to hard. She got out of bed and he stood by the door. "You're cute in the morning." He stated and smiled at her, while his eyes looked up and down her body.  
  
"Thank you." She said and smiled back. "You can wait for me downstairs. Hannah will keep you company." She said, hinting for him to leave so she could get ready to go. Dan took the hint and went back downstairs.  
  
For two hours, Dan and Zoe drove towards Lanks Mountain.  
  
"You better know what you're doing Dan." Zoe stated as they got out of his car. She looked up at the mountain in front of her and shook her head.  
  
"Come on." He said while opening the trunk. Inside was a large backpack that he tossed over on his back to carry. "I'm guessing the cops have finished investigating. There aren't any vehicles here."  
  
"So, why don't we just talk to them?" Zoe asked.  
  
"I already have."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Nothing." He responded. "No sign, nothing. Just the many smashed pieces of her car and all the accident debris."  
  
"So, why are we going up there if we already know there isn't anything." Zoe asked, trying to work her way out of hiking.  
  
"Because, I have a feeling."  
  
"Ok, now you sound like me." She said. Zoe was the one who usually had the gut instincts and everything, not Dan.  
  
"Ready to go?" Dan asked. He was wearing the big backpack and looked like a real nature man. Zoe was wearing jeans and a semi-nice shirt. She quickly grabbed her cell phone out of her purse and through the purse back into the car. "I'll lock the car." He said and did what he said he was going to do. Zoe nodded and they started up into the woods of the mountain.  
  
For the next fifteen minutes, Zoe and Dan hiked towards the crash scene. Since the road was completely off limits they had to follow it from the woods next to it. Zoe stopped to breathe a minute. She wasn't used to hiking and didn't think it was a lot of work, but it was. Besides the fact that it was hot, and there was no breeze, she was thirsty.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I need water." She said and sat down on a tree stump near by. Dan set down his backpack and pulled out a bottle of water.  
  
"I come prepared." He said and handed the bottle to her, while sitting down on another tree stump near her.  
  
"Thank you. I'm not used to hiking." She stated. Zoe looked around at the nature. "It's really beautiful, even if it's hot."  
  
"Yeah, it is beautiful. I like beautiful things."  
  
"Do you?"  
  
"Yep. Things like nature, especially waterfalls. They are so beautiful. And then there are other beautiful things I like, such as you." He said. Zoe looked at him quickly and took in what he said. After a second, she smiled and looked down at the bottle of water in her hands. There was a pause as Dan looked around at the trees. He noticed that the road had disappeared next to the woods they were in.  
  
"Where's the road?" He asked.  
  
"What?" She looked around and noticed it to. "Oh my gosh, where's the road?!" Zoe repeated his question. "Dan, if we are lost in these woods, I hold you personally responsible!"  
  
"We're not lost. Stop freaking out." He said, standing up and looking around more. "We just currently can't see the road."  
  
"Dan!" Zoe pulled out her cell phone.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked.  
  
"Calling for help."  
  
"Zoe, come on. Would you stop it. I know what I'm doing." He stated but Zoe ignored him. She opened her cell phone to find no service.  
  
"Oh no."  
  
"What?" He asked, with nervousness in his voice.  
  
"It's dead. My phone is dead!" She stated and kept pushing buttons to try and turn it back on. A grunt came from her after a few seconds as she shoved the phone back in her pocket. "Is your cell phone working?" She asked with hope.  
  
"I didn't bring it." He said slowly.  
  
"What?! Dan!"  
  
"What?!" He yelled back at her and picked up his backpack. "Listen, can we please stop panicking. We'll just have to keep hiking until we find the road or something else." He said. Zoe stood up and sighed. They continued on up the mountain for a few minutes, searching for anything. All of a sudden, both Zoe and Dan heard rustling in the woods next to them and both saw a shadow go by. They completely froze and looked in the direction of the sounds. Something was moving extremely fast through the woods and they couldn't tell if it was heading towards them or moving away.  
  
"Dan?" Zoe whispered, inching closer to him. He gripped her around her waist and held her tight with worry. Zoe grabbed his arm in response. "Can I panic now?"  
  
Me: Muahahahahaha!!! Cliffhanger!!  
  
TV Voice: Tune in next time for an all new Chapter of "I Do or I Don't". Find out what is in the woods besides Zoe and Dan, and what they'll do about it. Also, will Taylor and Julian hook up or not? What about Hannah and her new found attitude? Will she admit her feelings or hide them inside? And what about Cliff? Can he accept the fact that his new girlfriend isn't a virgin and if he doesn't, what will he do to make himself more appealing to her? Find it all out next time, in "I Do Or I Don't".  
  
Me: Uh...thanks dude. I guess that sums that up. Review my peeps!! Luv ya!! 


	3. Lank's Mountain Part 2

Me: Hey! I'm back with the next chapter of I Do or I Don't. I hope you like it and I don't own anything, as you already know. See you after!  
  
$%#&$%&%##&&%$&%((&  
  
Zoe clutched Dan's arm with much force as the noise near by slowly faded away.  
  
"What was that?" She whispered.  
  
"How am I supposed to know?" He whispered back.  
  
"You're the big nature guy!" Zoe yelled but then lowered her voice back to normal. She looked around the woods and then down at her hand gripping his bicep. When she let go, they could both see little indents and red marks from her fingers. "Sorry about that." She said and inched herself away from him.  
  
Dan shrugged it off. "Should we continue hiking?" He asked. Zoe hesitated. "Come on, I won't let anything get you."  
  
She sighed and they started heading further up the mountain. She kept glancing around for anything out of the ordinary. "I thought you knew where you were going Dan?"  
  
"I do." He responded quietly.  
  
"Then why are we lost again?"  
  
"We're not lost Zoe. We just simply can't find the road right now." He stated slowly.  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
One hour later.  
  
"I need a break!" Zoe said in exhaustion. Dan gave her a look as she sat down on a patch of dirt near by. "I told you I wasn't a outdoor person Dan." After awhile she looked up and around at her surroundings. "God, I would kill for a cheeseburger and fries right about now." She stated randomly. Dan gave her another look. "And you do this for fun? I always knew you were insane Lennox."  
  
Dan reached into his backpack and pulled out a small bag. "Here have some trail mix." He offered and tossed the bag to her.  
  
Zoe opened it and started eating. "I never thought I'd see the day when you preferred dried fruit and trial mix over fast food or restaurants." She said as she was picking all the M&M's out of the trail mix for a chocolate fix. Dan smiled at her and then moved himself on the dirt next to her. They were silent for awhile as both looked around at the treetops and listened to the wildlife.  
  
After awhile, Zoe started fidgeting with her legs and wouldn't stop moving them quickly. Dan looked at her strangely. "Are you ok?" He asked.  
  
"Uhh....what happens when you have to go to the bathroom?" Zoe asked slightly embarrassed.  
  
"You're kidding right?"  
  
"Hey! It's a part of nature!" She said defensively.  
  
"Ok......well, there should be some bushes right over there." He pointed in one direction.  
  
Zoe looked in the direction he was pointing. She scrunched up her face some. "I don't want to go by myself." She said quietly as if somebody else, besides Dan, would hear her.  
  
"Zoe! Come on!"  
  
"You know what, never mind. Just forget I mentioned it." She said trying to change the subject some so it wasn't so embarrassing.  
  
"Well, what do you want me to do? Go with you? Hold your hand?" He asked with a chuckle.  
  
Zoe didn't respond and after a few seconds he gave her a doubtful look. "Don't worry, I wouldn't ask you or want you to do that." She said reassuringly and then looked away from him.  
  
Cliff sat in his room, thinking about Melissa, while somewhat staring at his school textbook. Everybody had warned him about reputations and the one he would get if he started dating her. Of course, he had ignored all the rumors about her not being a virgin but now that he knew that she wasn't, it reminded him of all the warnings. His attention turned to his window as something hard tapped against it repeatedly. Wondering what it was, he got off his bed and walked to the window to see. Melissa was standing below it in the side yard. He slowly opened it and took in the heat. She smiled up at him and then motioned him to come down for a day filled full of fun. Cliff shook is head. "I can't come out. My Aunt doesn't want us going anywhere today." He called. Melissa made a puppy face at him and he shrugged back. Then she made a motion for her to come up there. He shook his head again. "No girls today. Aunt Zoe's rules for today. None in the house till she gets home." Melissa sighed from below and was frowning up at him.  
  
"We need to talk Cliff." She called up to him. He looked at her confused. "It's the age difference isn't it?! You're unsure and stuff because I'm two years older than you right?"  
  
"I'm unsure?"  
  
"Uh, duh. If it's not the age thing, then is it...." She looked around and then back up at him and lowered her voice. "Is it the 'you know' thing?" She asked referring to not being a virgin.  
  
Cliff thought a second and then looked towards his bedroom door. Then he held up his index finger for her to hold on a minute. He slowly crept down the stairs and saw Taylor and Hannah sitting on the couch watching TV. He knew he wouldn't be able to sneak out the front door so he went back up to his room. After a few seconds, he went back to the window and put one leg out.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked.  
  
Cliff looked at the rain gutter that was lined from the top to the bottom of the house. It was right next to his window. He slowly joined his remaining leg with the other and arched himself onto the rain gutter.  
  
"Cliff!" She said.  
  
"Do you want me down there to talk to you or not?" He asked and starting climbing down the gutter. He could hear Melissa laughing below him and couldn't help but chuckle himself. His Aunt would kill him if she found him doing that, if he weren't already dead first. This made him question how much he would really do for a girl.  
  
Melissa kept laughing at him but tried not to do it so loudly. They both didn't want to get caught by either Taylor or the neighbors. Cliff couldn't help but burst into full laughter but when it made his foot slip off the rain gutter, his fun faded. Melissa stopped giggling as well when she realized what was going on. Cliff tried to regain his balance but just couldn't get his foot to catch the gutter. Soon enough, his other foot let go and then his hands released from their grasp and before he knew it a sharp pain was shooting through his body as it hit the hard ground. In the distance, he could hear the faint cries of his name by Melissa.  
  
Zoe and Dan started getting up and continued to hike up the mountain.  
  
"So, when we do find the crash scene, what do you think it is we're going to find Dan?" She asked following him through various trees.  
  
"Any evidence that will tell us the construction company is not at fault is fine with me." He answered.  
  
"If the police didn't find anything, what makes you think we will?"  
  
"I told you, I have a feeling."  
  
"Well, I guess since you've always gone with me on my feelings and hunches then I guess I'll go on yours." She said, giving in to him.  
  
Dan stopped and turned to look at her. "Thank you." He said slowly and smiled at her.  
  
Zoe noticed her stomach turn to butterfly's when he smiled. "You're welcome." She said back slowly. A smile formed on her face as she motioned for him to keep walking.  
  
Dan held back branches for her and helped her around trees throughout the mountain for the next thirty minutes. Zoe took deep breaths now and then trying to hold him her urge to go to the bathroom. Eventually she gave in.  
  
"Ok, I can't hold it anymore." She said.  
  
Dan turned to look at her. "Hold what?"  
  
"Think about it genius." Zoe stated quickly and started bouncing up and down and moving around him.  
  
"Oh.....I still say just use the bush."  
  
Zoe faced transformed into a scrunched up, 'aww man' look. "Fine." She said as Dan sat down on a tree stump. He smiled as she headed off towards a bush far away. Zoe stopped and turned back towards him. "You wouldn't happen to have any-"  
  
Dan pulled out a roll of toilet paper and threw it to her. Zoe caught it.  
  
"Toilet paper." She said slowly, catching the roll. "Thanks."  
  
He smiled again as she headed off this time. After awhile, he couldn't see her anymore and started looking around at his surroundings. Dan searched for the blue markings on tree trunks and leaves that he had marked the day before. His plan was going very well so far. All he wanted was to get her alone for a few hours to talk about them. About where they were headed after the other night. Ever since Zoe had started working with him, he had had the biggest crush on her, as if he were in high school again. He was used to just meeting women and just having flings since his past and now that Zoe had come along, he had changed. His feelings towards being a bachelor had changed. He now wanted to settle down and he thought Zoe was the perfect person to do it with. She was beautiful, funny, talented, smart, and kind. He thought of her being one of the most perfect people he had met in his life. He just hope she felt the same way.  
  
Dan's thoughts were interrupted by a faint yell.  
  
"Dan!"  
  
It was Zoe from far way.  
  
"Dan!"  
  
He stood up and started running in her direction. He jumped over fallen branches and through trees. When he finally saw her, she was finishing buttoning her jeans and staring at the bush in front of her.  
  
"What is it?" He asked when he approached her.  
  
"There's something there." She said and pointed to the bush.  
  
"Zoe....it's probably just an animal." He said with a sigh. Dan bent down to see what was in the bush. When he got closer, a squirrel jumped out in front of him and made him jumped back. The jump threw off his balance and he fell to the ground, grabbing Zoe and taking her down with him.  
  
Dan stared at Zoe as she started giggling at him. Her giggles grew into blown out laughter soon and he chuckled with her. "Priceless." He said. He was laying on the ground, with her close by his side. He liked the feeling.  
  
"You should have seen your face." Zoe said with a giggle.  
  
"Mine! You're the one screaming my name because of a damn squirrel!"  
  
"I didn't know it was going to be a wild animal. I thought it was going to be that thing from before." She explained.  
  
Dan rolled his eyes and started sitting up. Zoe sat up to and then they eventually got to their feet and started heading back to where Dan's stuff.  
  
When they got there though, stuff was thrown everywhere. The food and water was gone and all the small things from his back pack were all over the ground.  
  
"What the hell?!" He said and started looking around for someone.  
  
"Who do you think?" Zoe asked and started looking around also.  
  
"Probably an animal." He said. "The foods gone so....obviously who or what ever did this was hungry." He stated and started picking up the stuff.  
  
Zoe shrugged and looked around once or twice before helping him. When she came across a bunch of papers she looked at them carefully. A couple of them were from Megan's file but there was one more thick folded piece. It was a map. Zoe looked towards him strangely. Dan's back was turned to her. She unfolded the map and read that it was for Lank's Mountain. He had a map of the mountain they were on but they were lost. Zoe was confused.  
  
"Dan?"  
  
He turned towards her and saw the map in her hand. "Oh."  
  
"What the hell?" She said. "What is going on?" She demanded to know.  
  
"Zoe. I..." He started but a ringer went off and interrupted him. There was a phone on the ground between them. A cell phone.  
  
Zoe's mouth opened slightly as she picked up the phone. At first she didn't answer it and gave him a confused and evil looked. Then she opened the flip fold phone. "Hello? Dan Lennox's cell phone. He is soon to be disable, how may I help you?!" She said and was still staring at him.  
  
Taylor was on the other side of the phone. "Aunt Zoe?!" She yelled.  
  
"Taylor?!" Zoe's attention turned to her niece. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I tried calling your cell but it said it wasn't on so I found Mr. Lennox's number. We're at the hospital."  
  
"Hospital?" She repeated and now Dan stared at her in concern. "With who?"  
  
"It's Cliff. I was just watching TV and then all of a sudden-" Taylor was explaining but the line went dead.  
  
"Taylor?! Taylor?!!!" Zoe yelled into the phone but realized that it went out of service. Her heart raced and her breath increased.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Get me out of here right now Lennox!" Zoe yelled. "Somethings wrong with Cliff. I've got to get to the hospital and I know you know you're way out of this mountain because...." She held up the map in her hand. "Oh..look! Here's a map...how ironic!" She said and started walking after throwing his cell phone back on the ground.  
  
He quickly gathered the rest of his things and ran after her. "Zoe! I can explain." He said as he caught up to her.  
  
"Save it Dan. Just get me out of here." She demanded and handed him the map. "Quickly." She added and started jogging down the mountain. Dan followed her and eventually got in front of her, leading her to the direction of their cars.  
  
Zoe arrived at the hospital and ran to the front desk. Dan was following closely behind her. She immediately started talking to the receptionist but then spotted Sophia in the waiting area.  
  
Sophia spotted her to. "Zoe." She called.  
  
Zoe ran to her and grabbed her arms as she tried to catch her breath. "Sophia...what's going on?!" She asked impatiently.  
  
"Taylor called me soon after she did you and said that she got disconnected and couldn't tell you so I told her I'd come down as soon as I could. I wasn't expecting to see you here for another thirty minutes or so." Sophia started.  
  
"I speeded. Oops." Dan said quietly in the back ground.  
  
Zoe looked at him evilly again and then turned back to Sophia. "What happened to Cliff?" She asked trying to calm herself down as they started walking down one of the hallways.  
  
"I know that he fell......."She started and Zoe nodded. "Out the window...." She continued and Zoe mouth opened slightly as she gasped. "From his room."  
  
Zoe stopped dead in her tracks as the picture of Cliffs bedroom window came to her. It was the top, top floor of the house. He had to be hurt bad or even worse. "Oh my god." She said and they continued walking, her following Sophia. "How bad is it?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I was just told to wait in the lobby for you." She answered.  
  
As they approached the area where Cliff was, Taylor was holding Hannah in her arms and then spotted Zoe.  
  
"Aunt Zoe!!" She called and ran to her aunt.  
  
Zoe wrapped her arms around her crying nieces and her heart jumped. It wasn't until a few seconds later that she noticed Marcos standing there. It was an awkward situation but she understood that he was probably only there for Cliff. Dan and Sophia stood aside as Zoe turned her attention back to Taylor.  
  
"What happened?!" She asked.  
  
"Hannah and I....we were just watching TV and then we both heard a scream from the side of the house. I didn't know what was going on so I ran out the front door and around to see Melissa bending over Cliff. He was laying there, perfectly still and he wasn't breathing Aunt Zoe. He wasn't breathing!" Taylor said and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "So, I screamed for Jeanie and then told Hannah to call 911. I couldn't get you on your cell phone so I called Mr. Morales and told him what was going on...and then I found Mr. Lennox's number in the emergency folder thingy and called him...you answered, we got disconnected so I called Miss Mason." She said out of breath.  
  
"So what's going on with Cliff? Is he ok? What?" She asked and looked around at the others.  
  
"We don't know. They had to do immediate surgery." Marcos said, moving closer to Zoe.  
  
"Surgery?" Zoe said and gave him a helpless look. "On what?"  
  
"We don't know that either." He answered and gave her a sympathy look. Zoe fell into one of the waiting chairs in shock. Then she looked at Dan.  
  
"This is your fault." She said towards him.  
  
Dan looked at her shocked himself. "My fault?"  
  
"You tricked me! You made me go hiking. If I hadn't this wouldn't have happened!" Zoe yelled and everybody's mouths opened slightly. Tears started rolling down her face as she glared at him.  
  
Dan didn't say anything. After awhile, Zoe looked around again.  
  
"Where's Jeanie?"  
  
"I'm right here Zoe." Jeanie said coming out of the near by restroom.  
  
Zoe stood and fell into the old woman's arms crying. "Not again. This can't be happening again." She said in between sobs.  
  
"It isn't." Jeanie said, still holding the adult woman in her arms. "We don't know that yet." She said firmly.  
  
Zoe eventually let go and sat back down next to Taylor and Hannah. Everybody stared at her with sympathy and shock from her outburst. "I guess what we have to do now is just wait." She said while staring at a tile on the floor, tears still streaming from her eyes.  
  
!#&%$&&#$$#%#&&$%$#%  
  
Me: Haha...you have to wait till the next chapter to see what's going to happen with Cliff!! Haha....hmm...should I kill him? Should I let him live? Which one? I guess you'll find out later! Hehe....review please!! Thanks!! 


	4. Waiting

Me: Hey! It's me again! Sorry it's been awhile. I've been writing other stories and finishing up the school year here. It's been hectic. But, now it's summer and it's time to party! In my world, partying means sitting in front of the computer all day and typing up fics for this website and for all my fans out there. Also, sorry about two cliffhangers in a row. Both Chapter 2 and 3...hehe....my bad. Anyway, I don't own anything, as you all know by now. I hope you like this next chapter. Special shout out and thanks to Kameka for being such an inspiration and helping me out so much on getting this chapter done! Luv ya!  
  
  
  
Zoe paced in the hallway outside the operating room. Sweat poured down her forehead from worrying so much. They had been waiting a few hours at least and it was getting to her. Jeannie, Taylor, and Hannah all sat next to each other as Marcos stood leaning against one of the walls. Dan and Sophia had disappeared to the Cafeteria of the hospital to get some coffee and talk.  
  
"Dan?" Sophia asked quietly while pouring cream into her coffee.  
  
"Yeah?" He asked and repeated her task in his own drink.  
  
Sophia hesitated and started to speak slowly. "Why did Zoe blame it all on you?"  
  
"Because." He stated and tightly sealed the lid on his cup. "I took her hiking and it happened while we were gone."  
  
"But......it's not like you were the one that made him actually fall out of the window or off the rain gutter.....or something...I can't quite remember how that girl described it." She said, referring to Melissa.  
  
"I don't know Sophia. All I wanted to do was talk to her about...stuff.....and it all turned into chaos." He responded with a sigh.  
  
Sophia gave him a pity look as they started to head back to everybody else. "Maybe you should go talk to her." She suggested.  
  
"I was thinking that for a while but then I decided against it. She's in no condition to be talking about it."  
  
"Is that really it? Or do you just not want to bring it up because it'll remind her?"  
  
"Both, I guess." He said and looked at the hot coffee in his hands.  
  
They walked around the corner and then to where everybody was. As they approached several eyes and heads jerked their way in hope that it was one of the doctors working on Cliff. Then there were sighs at the fact that it was only just them. "I'm guessing there hasn't been any update." Sophia noted and took a seat next to Jeannie.  
  
Dan stood against the wall opposite Marcos and sipped his coffee. Once and awhile he would glance up at the man he had been competing with since he got closer to Zoe. Marcos glanced back when he noticed Dan looking at him and his frown turned more into a snarl.  
  
After a few minutes of pure silence, a man in a white lab coat walked out of the operating doors.  
  
"Ms. Busiek?" The doctor called.  
  
Zoe turned around and ran to the man. "Yes?"  
  
"You're son is going to be ok." He said reassuringly.  
  
Zoe breathed a sigh of relief and held back her tears. "He's my nephew." She corrected the doctor. "What happened?"  
  
"The impact of the fall broke two of his ribs that are placed right over his lung. While in motion during coming to the emergency room, the rib moved more and punctured his right lung. We had to do immediate surgery in order to reinstall the lung and hold the rib in place long enough for it to heal." The doctor started explaining.  
  
Everybody was gathering around them as he was talking but Zoe didn't notice. "Oh my god." She said and placed her hand on her forehead. "But he's going to be ok?" She asked.  
  
"Yes. The lung and ribs should eventually heal but he's going to have to stay in the hospital about a week, maybe more depending on his healing process." The doctor stated.  
  
"Oh my god." Zoe repeated her words from earlier as Hannah grabbed on to her Aunts arm. In reaction, she bent down to hug the little girl. "Thank god he's ok." She whispered and still held on tightly to her niece.  
  
"When can we see him?" Taylor asked unexpectedly.  
  
"It's going to be a couple more hours, I'm sorry. And only one person at a time." The doctor responded.  
  
Zoe let go of Hannah and shook the mans hand. "Thank you so much." She said and nodded.  
  
"You're welcome." He said and turned to leave.  
  
Zoe turned back to everybody that was there and smiled. Jeannie approached her and leaned in for a hug. "I told you it wasn't happening again." She whispered into her ear.  
  
Zoe smiled even bigger and repeated her words again. "Thank god."  
  
When she let go of Jeannie, Taylor was next in line for a hug and then Sophia. The two men stood around awkwardly as Zoe talked to the rest of them.  
  
"You guys should head home. There's no need to stay here any longer." She said to the women surrounding her.  
  
"Is there anything else I can do?" Sophia asked.  
  
"No, thank you for everything though." Zoe responded.  
  
"Do you want me to take the girls home and stay with them?" Jeannie asked quickly.  
  
Hannah and Taylor looked at their Aunt, waiting for her answer. Zoe turned to them and looked at her watch. It was already nine o'clock. "It's going to be awhile before we can see him at all girls and you need some rest. It's been a rough day and it's late. You can see Cliff tomorrow, I promise." Zoe said.  
  
The two nieces tried to object but Jeannie stopped them. They all gave Zoe one last smile and headed down the hall of the hospital. The only two left were Dan and Marcos. She looked at the both of them awkwardly.  
  
"I'm glad he's ok." Marcos spoke up. "I should get going." He added and put his hand on Zoe's shoulder. "I'll come visit....Cliff....tomorrow." He stated slowly and semi-smiled before heading off down the hallway like the other people.  
  
Zoe turned to Dan and he gave her a sad look. "I don't want to talk it about." She stated and sat down in one chair. "Just go."  
  
"You shouldn't be here by yourself Zoe. I'm staying." He stated firmly and sat in a different chair across from her.  
  
She hesitated and didn't look at him. "Fine." She finally said and got comfortable in the chair figuring it would be awhile before she would be getting out of it.  
  
--------------------  
  
After an hour and a half of waiting, Zoe got bored and anxious. She couldn't keep still in the chair so she started pacing quickly again. Dan followed her with his eyes.  
  
"Could you keep still a second? I'm getting dizzy." He asked and stated.  
  
"Then don't look at me." She said firmly back to him.  
  
He took in the comment harshly and placed his head in his hand while resting his elbows on his knees.  
  
She noticed his movement and sighed. "I'm going to go get something from the vending machine." She said aloud and started to walk off.  
  
Dan didn't even attempt to ask if she wanted him to join her because he already knew the answer. He sat back and stared at the ceiling instead.  
  
Zoe walked down the hall and around the corner. She was exhausted and still in dirty clothes from hiking all day. 'Hiking...' She thought to herself. 'Hiking...' She ran the words through her head. 'God....it's not his fault. I'm blaming him for Cliff's stupid actions. Why on earth would he climb out of a window for a girl? He must have some of me in him.' She thought and looked threw the vending machine choices. 'Of course I did that for a guy. Shimming down a rain gutter to sneak out of the house just for midnight walk with Jake, the pool boy. He ended up using me.......Stupid boys, we should throw rocks at them. But on the other hand, not all of them are stupid.' Zoe pulled a few clumps of change out of her pocket and found two quarters for the machine. 'Just ones who take you hiking for no apparent reason! I swear, what was going on in his head? Lying about what he really wanted in that mountain and then.....wait...what did he really want in the mountain?' She asked and pushed the correct numbers for the machine's grasp to release the potato chips for her. "Not sex.....he wouldn't do that. Or would he? No, not in the mountain. That's too weird....although there was this one time in Las Vegas when I was doing tours for...well tourists and met this cute sailor guy who asked me to give him a tour of myself...while in the mountains...and of course-....Oh, Zoe shut up.' She thought and shook her head. 'That wasn't like Dan though. He...in the cutest way had been flirting and hitting on me since the day I started work with them. But, I was too involved with the kids, my new job, and......Marcos. It's just like me to have two guys after me at once. Like in Las Vegas when the hotel's bellboy was after me along with the manager. That turned into a sticky situation. Paul, the bellboy, ended up getting fired and then coming after me again while Steve, the manager, didn't know that I was more interesting in Paul. And then crazy Steve rented out one of the suites from the hotel for him and me but I didn't know about until after I had spent the whole day gambling with Paul. And then- Oh god, Zoe you're doing it again!' She stopped herself from continuing the thought and sighed. 'I seem to get into a lot of sticky situations with men. Maybe I'm too picky. Let's see, you have Dan, the sex goddess, and you have Marcos, the wonderful coach and father-like guy to my family......maybe I should just pick one and put my all into it. But who? I really like Dan, even though there was the whole lying thing about the mountain. Marcos is so sweet though and I've just built him up in thinking that we really had something special when the whole time I was thinking about someone else as a possible choice for a boyfriend or husband or I just don't know!' Zoe shook her head and ran her fingers through her head. She walked over to the soda machine and put in a dollar for a Pepsi since she was somewhat craving one from a day full of trail mix and water. 'What am I going to do?' She asked inside her filled of thoughts head. 'Dan thinks I'm so angry with him and now he probably thinks it really is his fault...when it's not. Marcos is still mad because I blew off his proposal and kissed Dan. I did more than just kiss Dan though. We almost.....yeah. Definitely more than just kissing. I bet that felt good to him. After months and months of trying to get me alone, supposedly just to talk, I give in to him and......we almost..yeah. I can't believe all this is happening and to top it all off, we are no where near to finished in the Megan Rict case. Speaking or thinking or work, what would it be like to be in an intimate relationship with a man who is my partner in fraud investigations? Would it be awkward? Or would it just bring us closer together? And what about Taylor, Cliff, and Hannah? What would Dan be like with them? Probably nothing near enough to the way Marcos handle them, but you never know, which is why I should stop pondering it and go talk to him. But I feel to bad and awkward to talk to him right now. When I think about it, he's the only one left here. Waiting with me to see Cliff. Waiting to see if I'll be ok and get through this. What kind of man does that? A good one does that......a really good one. But what kind of man lies about hiking? A man like Dan. God, I'm so confused.' Zoe thought and thought and thought. She stood now leaning against the soda machine and staring down the hallway. 'Maybe I should just give up all together and be single. This is too complicated. It's always been too complicated and I'm just now realizing that I'm the one that makes it that way. I'm the one who's too picky about the men in my life and too stubborn to let one of them in all the way. It's me-'  
  
"Zoe?" A familiar voice called and broke her from thinking. It was Dan, now standing in front of her. "Zoe?" He called again.  
  
"Huh? What?" She said and looked at him.  
  
He noticed she was some what dazed but shrugged it off. "The doctor said you can see Cliff now." He said and smiled at her.  
  
Zoe smiled at the fact that she could finally see her nephew and headed off down the hall with Dan trailing behind her.  
  
--------------------  
  
Zoe entered the hospital room to see Cliff barely conscious. She noticed how pale he was and how helpless and hurt he looked.  
  
"Clifford?" She called quietly while leaning over the bed and rubbing her hand on his face. "Cliff?"  
  
"Aunt Zoe?" He called back, also quietly. His eyes focused straight above him and then he slowly turned his head to look at her. Cliff's face was bruised along with his arms.  
  
"How do you feel?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Like I fell out the window." He stated sarcastically.  
  
Zoe chuckled and realized that he didn't lose his sense of humor. "You gave us quite a scare there."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"I know. Me to."  
  
"For what?" He asked.  
  
"Leaving you today. If I had been there-"  
  
"I would have still climbed out the window." He stated interrupting her.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Probably. I don't know why I did. I just wanted to talk to her." He said.  
  
"Well, it was a pretty stupid thing to do Cliff."  
  
"To bad I didn't realize that behind I did it." He said and laughed at himself. The vibration in his stomach from it made pain shoot through his body but he could hardly feel it with all the medication he was on.  
  
"Yes, to bad." She agreed and slipped her hand threw his. "You're going to be ok." She added and smiled down at him. "I love you."  
  
"I love you to Aunt Zoe." He responded and closed his eyes in exhaustion.  
  
"Go on. Go back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow." She said as he left his eyes closed. "Good night sweetie."  
  
  
  
Me: Hey, I know it's short but oh well. There will be more to come... "So just sit tight and don't touch that dial" Or wait patiently for the next chapter and don't forget the website stuff to get back to this story! Hehe....hope you liked it! Review my peeps!! Special is outtie! 


	5. A Sign

Me: Hola!!!!!!! I'm finally here with the next chapter. I know it's been awhile but I've been a busy person. I hope you all are liking this story, all of my reviews have told me so, but if you're lying then you must tell me. Constructive criticism is welcome just as long as you're not hurtful about it. I think that's why they call it constructive criticism...anyway, I don't own anything. I'll see you after. Oh! Just a mental note...through out the chapter when there are a lot of little dots (.....) that means there is a pause. The longer the dots go on, the longer the pause. Just wanted to let  
you know in case.  
  
  
  
Zoe stepped out of Cliff's hospital room closing the door behind her. The brightness of the hallway compared to the lightness of the room made her  
squint her eyes. A deep sigh came from her as she looked up to see Dan  
standing there.  
  
"How is he?" He asked quietly.  
  
"Exhausted....no wait, that's me." She said sarcastically with a slight  
smile.  
  
He smiled back at her and realized that she was in a better mood since she  
saw Cliff. "So, he's definitely going to be ok?"  
  
"Absolutely. He's a tough kid, he'll heal." She said and looked down at her  
clothing. "Look at me, I'm a mess."  
  
"Don't worry about it." He said and looked at the dirt on her jeans and  
shirt. "You pull off dirt and grass stains pretty good."  
  
Zoe chuckled for the first time that night. "Very funny Lennox." She looked  
at her watch. "It's getting late."  
  
Dan was smiling in surprise from her better mood and just the fact that she  
was talking to him. His smile faded some as he looked at his own watch.  
"Wow, it's almost one in the morning."  
  
"Yeah, I should really get back to the house and get cleaned up and then get some sleep. I would stay here over night but something just tells me I  
don't have to."  
  
He nodded in response and they started walking down the hallway with a few  
glances towards Cliff's hospital room door.  
  
They got to the parking lot and Dan paused. "Do you need a ride home?" He  
asked politely.  
  
"No. Taylor drove in my car with Hannah when Cliff was rushed here in the ambulance. She left me the keys and Jeannie took them both home." Zoe said and pulled the car keys out of the front pocket of her jeans. She turned and started heading towards her car as Dan still stood there looking after  
her. "Bye." She said with her back to him.  
  
He walked to his own car and watched her take off before leaving himself. He didn't turn and head in the direction of his apartment building though, he followed the direction she went. His intentions were just to make sure she got home safely and that she was all right. They drove a few minutes and he wasn't worried about losing her on the road because he already knew  
the way to her house. Something really sparked his interest and got him somewhat confused. It was Zoe, taking a turn that wasn't the direction of  
her home.  
  
"What the-?" He said and squinted to see if the vehicle taking the detour  
was really her. It was Zoe and it made him curiously follow her.  
  
Zoe yawned as she pulled her car to the side curb and put it in park.  
Another sigh came from her in between yawns and she looked at the clock above the radio. It was around 1:30 but she felt she needed to be where she  
was. She needed to talk.  
  
Dan pulled his car next to the curb shortly after she did. He made sure that she couldn't see he was there before following her. Zoe walked through the stone gates and along the path. The grass was already getting wet from the dew of the night but she didn't care. She was already dirty from the day and the fact that mud was slightly splashing on her tennis shoes and  
jeans didn't bother her.  
  
She walked slowly through the grass swerving in and out of different  
tombstones until she finally reached the one she was looking for.  
  
"Hey Big Sis." She said quietly while looking down at the gray concrete with engraved words on the front. The grass made soft noises as she lowered  
herself onto it. She sat next to the tombstone blankly staring at it. Flowers from a while back were still sitting in the cup on top of it and  
she made a mental note to go buy new ones.  
  
"I miss you." She added after awhile. "It's really hard to come here but I  
need somebody to talk to........I guess you're up there watching everything that's happening. I guess you're kind of supervising my movements with the kids but not able to do anything when I mess up.....They think about you a lot. I think about you a lot. What happened with Clifford today.....I can't help but blame myself for not being there to stop it from happening........I  
just can't stop thinking that I should have been there because those children come before anything.....before work....before men.....before myself. I care about them so much and I know that they would much rather have their mother here to raise them but you're not and I'm trying to do the best I can........Changing my life the way I did wasn't the easiest thing.....but saying goodbye to you wasn't either. Everything just kind of fell into place once I got here, you know.......the job, the kids, the men. I realized what family is all about....what life is all about.....and what love is all about. Those  
three are great kids and I love them with every inch of my body. When I heard Taylor on the cell phone say something happened to Cliff, my heart just....stopped. I could barely breath and the entire time I was trying to get to him, I kept thinking that if I lost him to, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I wouldn't be able to take losing another person that I love so  
much........." Zoe said and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Her  
eyes were watering up some as she continued.  
  
"When I found out he was going to be ok, I could feel my heart beat again.  
I could hear myself breathing again. It was as if I had stopped living myself when I was waiting. And then I felt alive again when it was over.  
You're face kept flashing through my head. Everything that had happened then....the phone call I got when the car accident happened, arriving to our  
old house after it happened, the tears that I shed so hard when I heard those words....... 'There was an accident, she didn't make it.'" Zoe quoted and  
wiped away a few tears falling over her cheeks.  
  
"Seeing Taylor, Cliff, and Hannah all still being hit with the fact that their mother was never coming back. The fact that you were dead and there was nothing we could do to change it no matter how hard we tried." She took  
in a deep breath and paused as she wiped away more tears. "We've gotten more....adjusted to you not being here but it's still...really hard at times. When you died, I thought about who would be there to take care of me. Then I realized that your children where the ones that needed taken care of and that I would just have to learn how to be an adult. A parent. I did learn, but....Sue.....I still need somebody to take care of me no matter how old I am.  
I need someone to talk to about things and right now there are two...wonderful human beings that could do that. The thing is.....I don't know which one is....the one. I know I usually don't believe in this kind of thing but.....as my big sister...that's always looked after you just give me a sign? Please...just something to guide me down the right path." Zoe said and looked up at the sky in hope that her sister was above her watching and  
listening.  
  
Dan walked towards the area Zoe was at. He could tell she had been talking  
to the grave and she had been crying. He saw that it was her sister and gave a look of sympathy. He watched her looking at the sky and hesitated on whether he should approach her. In the distance Zoe was breathing heavily  
and waiting patiently. Dan's better judgment got the best of him and he  
turned around to walk back to his car.  
  
Zoe heard rustling near by and looked in his direction. She saw the figure and then looked towards the entrance of the graveyard at his car. She knew  
it was Dan and wondered what he was doing there. Something told her it  
wasn't just a coincidence.  
  
Once he left, she turned back to the grave and looked at it in confusion.  
Her head pounded as she turned her body and laid down next to the tombstone. The grass left wet stains of mildew on her already dirty shirt  
but she didn't care. It was the closest she could be to her sister...physically anyway. Zoe's mind raced at the possible solutions to her problems. Was Dan the right man? Or was Marcos? If she even went back  
to Marcos would he take her in with open arms or would he turn her away because she hurt him? Marcos had always been there for her since she moved  
back to Chicago but she felt as if her heart just wasn't there. In her mind, he was the reasonable guy. Fun, loving, good with kids. While Dan was the fancy, sexy, daring guy who didn't have experience with children. She had made a commitment to her sisters children and she didn't want to screw it up by choosing the wrong guy. Was Dan being there that night her sign? Her guide down the right path? Was Sue trying to tell her something? She  
had asked for a sign but how would she know when it came?  
  
Rustling near by broke her train of thoughts. She sat up and looked around the empty graveyard. It was musty and dark but she could faintly make out a  
figure in the distance. Her mind hoped it was Dan again but she knew it  
wasn't.  
  
-------------------  
  
Taylor looked at her cell phone clock as she swung on the front porch  
swing. It creaked with every motion but she tuned it out after a few minutes. The porch was completely dark except for the streetlight slightly tinting a few spaces. She sat there repeatedly sighing to herself at the  
events of the previous day. Just a few hours ago she was sitting in the hospital waiting room worrying harder than ever whether her little brother would be ok or not. When she heard those screams coming from the side of  
the house and then when she saw Cliff laying there unconscious, she had  
stopped breathing. Panic was in Melissa's face and was soon to be in  
everybody else's.  
  
Noise from the house over broke her thoughts. She looked up to see the porch light of the house coming on and a familiar figure walking out the front door. It was Julian. The light from the porch made Taylor visible and he noticed her sitting there quietly. After a slight pause and a thought of  
wonder, he walked over to her from his home.  
  
"Taylor?"  
  
"Hi." She said quietly. She had been on the verge of tears all night since  
she had gotten home from the hospital.  
  
"What are you doing out here this late?"  
  
"Just thinking." She responded, still quietly.  
  
He kept silent for a second as he approached her more. "Is it ok if I sit  
down?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Julian took a seat next to her on the swing and knew something was wrong  
with her. "Taylor?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What are you thinking about?" He asked slowly but confidently.  
  
She didn't answer.  
  
"Cliff maybe?" He asked curiously.  
  
She nodded. "I.....I blame myself Julian. Is that normal?"  
  
"Umm.....yeah. I think it is. Naturally, you feel you should have been  
watching him better right?"  
  
Taylor nodded. "I keep screwing up lately. I hate myself for it."  
  
"You're not screwing up." He reassured her. "You're...being a teenager. I  
do it all the time."  
  
She chuckled and he smiled because that's what he wanted to make her do.  
Taylor looked up at him in the silence. His smile comforted her and she  
liked how close he was sitting next to her.  
  
"Julian?"  
  
"Yeah." He said as she moved her face closer to his.  
  
"Make me feel better." She whispered and leaned in even more.  
  
Julian's eyes widen at his opportunity to make his move. He leaned in and  
his lips slowly touched hers. She moaned at the feeling but he didn't expect her to. Julian pulled away from her at the sound and she looked at  
him like she did something.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.  
  
He kept silent. "Nothing." He stated after a minute and leaned back into  
kiss her.  
  
Taylor put up her hand to stop him and moved away. "You think you're taking  
advantage of me, don't you?"  
  
"Umm..."  
  
"You think since I'm down about Cliff and everything that by kissing me,  
you're taking advantage of the situation."  
  
"Taylor-"  
  
"That you're taking advantage of me." She interrupted him.  
  
"Umm..-"  
  
"Well, Julian, you're not-"  
  
"Taylor-"  
  
"I'm falling for you." She said quickly after some hesitation.  
  
They fell silent and he took in what she said. "Taylor?"  
  
"Yeah?" She asked squinting in nervousness.  
  
".....I've already fallen." He responded and she looked up at him with a  
smile.  
  
"Really?" She asked girlishly.  
  
He nodded and pulled her face towards him for more kissing. The sweet sensation rushed through their bodies. Even a simple kiss can say so much,  
especially between two people who care about each other.  
  
----------  
  
Zoe got to her feet quickly and stared straight in front of her where the  
dark figure was standing. It stopped and stared at her also but then started moving towards her again. Her breath increased at not knowing what  
was coming closer.  
  
"Who's there?" She asked, her voice shaky.  
  
There was no response for awhile. "Marcos." The familiar voice said slowly  
and approached her more.  
  
Zoe recognized it was him and sighed. "Marcos?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What are you doing here?!" She asked. "You scared me!"  
  
"I'm.....just visiting."  
  
"Who?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Umm....just an old friend of mine."  
  
"Whatever." She said under her breath and looked at her feet.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Just visiting." She said and motioned to the grave next to her.  
  
Marcos recognized it as her sisters and didn't say anything more on the  
subject. "Did you see Cliff?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And?"  
  
"He's going to be fine." She said reassuringly. "Anyway.....I better be  
going."  
  
"Me to." He responded in awkwardness.  
  
Zoe gave another glance at the grave and smiled at it in sadness before headed towards the exit of the graveyard. Marcos followed her. Once they were out Zoe headed to her car and he headed to his. She stopped and turned  
back around.  
  
"Marcos?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can we talk? Maybe tomorrow or something." She asked.  
  
He hesitated. "Sure, Zoe. Anytime." He said.  
  
She nodded. "I'll call you." She said and headed for her car again. As she got in and watched him pull away first, her thoughts filled her mind again. She had asked Sue for a sign. And when Dan showed up, she thought he was  
it. But now, Marcos came to. What was that supposed to tell her? That Marcos was the right guy, the right path. Or was it Dan? Things confused  
her so much she almost missed the turn to head to her own house. She decided that she would go home, take a nice hot shower, climb into bed, get  
about four hours of sleep, and then get up for another long day. She  
sighed at her plans but accepted them and kept driving home.  
  
----------  
  
The next morning, Taylor drove Hannah to the hospital with her to see  
Cliff. Zoe had told them to go ahead without her considering she was running late already, plus she needed to swing past her office to check in  
with Sophia. When she got there, the woman was in her office, as usual  
working on a case file.  
  
Zoe knocked on the door.  
  
"Come in." Sophia said, seeing that it was her through the glass.  
  
"Good morning."  
  
"Good morning. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Umm....this is where I work last time I checked." Zoe stated.  
  
Sophia smiled and stood up. "Zoe, your nephew fell out of a two and half  
story window yesterday and you come into work this morning?"  
  
Zoe opened her mouth to object but closed it again at Sophia's look. She  
gave her friend a light smile and a hug.  
  
"What about Megan Rict?"  
  
"Dan's handling that. I don't want you to worry about it. If everything is  
ok with your family I might let you come into work tomorrow, but not  
today."  
  
Zoe smiled again. "Where is Dan?"  
  
"He's out interviewing the parents again."  
  
Zoe nodded and sighed.  
  
"Zoe, go see your nephew. And when you're done with that...."  
  
Zoe looked at her curiously.  
  
"Get some sleep. I can tell that you didn't get much last night, am I  
right?"  
  
She nodded in response and smiled once more before leaving. After jumping back into her car and driving to the hospital, Zoe started thinking again.  
She picked up her cell phone and looked through the memory for Marco's number. It automatically dialed and she held the little silver object to  
her ear. It rang twice before the familiar voice picked up on the other  
line.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Marcos? Hi, it's Zoe." She said slowly.  
  
"Hi. I was waiting for you're call Zoe. We need to talk."  
  
"I know we do." She responded. "Are you free for coffee say around ten?"  
  
"Hmm...yeah I think I can make that. Where?"  
  
"Where else?! Starbucks!" She said and chuckled to herself some.  
  
"Alright, see you then." He said and hung up his phone. Zoe did the same  
after she heard the click of his and put the phone back into her purse.  
Another deep sigh came from her and she shook her head knowing that she  
didn't know what to talk about with him, just that they needed to talk.  
  
The elevator doors opened letting her onto the floor where Cliff was. She walked around a few corners and saw his door open. Inside Taylor and Hannah sat against the wall in two chairs listening. The TV was off, which was odd and the only person who could be heard was a manly voice. Zoe looked around  
the door to see Dan sitting next to Cliffs bed with all three children  
paying attention to him.  
  
"Dan? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was in neighborhood." He said plainly.  
  
She nodded. "What were you guys talking about?"  
  
"You." Hannah said with a chuckle.  
  
"Me?" Zoe asked surprisingly. "What about me?"  
  
"Dan was just telling us how funny you were hiking." Taylor said.  
  
Zoe took in the statement and looked at Dan plainly. "Hiking.." She said quietly, reminding herself what had happened the previous day. "Right." Zoe  
shrugged it off at least for awhile and turned to Cliff. "How you doing  
bud?"  
  
"I'm ok." He said with a sore voice. Zoe smiled at him and ran her fingers  
through his hair.  
  
Everybody fell silent. "Well.....I better be going." Dan said and stood up.  
  
"Do you have to Mr. Lennox?" Hannah said and ran to his side. She looked up at him with a sad puppy face. Taylor chuckled in the background. Zoe waited  
to see his response to the little girl. Dan smiled and bent down to her  
height.  
  
"Yeah, I've got some work to do." He said and Hannah made an even sadder  
puppy face. "But..." He added. "I'll be back soon."  
  
She smiled. "You pinky promise?" She asked and held out her pinky finger.  
  
"I pinky promise." He said and locked his own with hers. Zoe's face lit up  
at the sight. He got along with the kids and that was good sign to her.  
  
Dan patted the little girl on her head as he stood back up to his normal size. He gave a nod to Zoe. "Don't worry about Megan. I'm solving it." He said reassuringly. "See you later." He added and walked out the hospital  
room door.  
  
Zoe smiled again and sat down next to Cliff's bed. "Why were you talking  
about me hiking?" She asked.  
  
"He said it was so funny Aunt Zoe." Cliff responded slowly. "I wish I could  
have seen it."  
  
"I didn't do that bad." She stated.  
  
"He didn't say you did bad." Taylor chimed in. "He just said you were  
funny."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah, he really likes you Aunt Zoe." Hannah said girlishly.  
  
Zoe looked at the little girl surprised and then turned away with a semi  
smile growing on her face. "I'll be right back." She said and left the room. She ran down the hallway and around a few corners to see Dan getting  
onto the elevator. "Dan! Wait!" She yelled and he stopped the automatic  
elevator doors from closing with his hand.  
  
"Zoe? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she stepped into the elevator.  
There was another person in there with them and it made things more  
awkward.  
  
"I need to talk to you." She stated out of breath.  
  
"About?"  
  
"Yesterday." She responded.  
  
Dan's face turned to panic at the thought of having to discuss what had  
happened. The elevator opened letting the other person off at their designated floor, leaving Zoe and Dan alone. He looked at her, waiting for  
questions and some shouting about what had went on the previous day.  
  
"Why did you take me hiking yesterday?" She asked calmly and Dan sighed at  
what he knew was coming.  
  
"I..."  
  
"I know it wasn't because of Megan Rict. Why Dan?"  
  
"I wanted to talk to you. To just be alone with you for awhile Zoe."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. I felt we needed to talk about what happened between us the other night. I...I didn't know this whole thing was going to happen with  
Cliff. I'm sorry."  
  
"That's not your fault." She said and he looked at her shocked. "I know I blamed you for it but I was upset and scared then. It's not your fault."  
She added.  
  
"Thanks for telling me this now. I've only been worried about it all night  
and this morning." He said with an upset tone.  
  
"You were worried about it?"  
  
"Umm yeah. Zoe I know I'm not the most sensitive guy in the on, I do have some feelings." He stated defensively.  
  
"I know you do. I'm sorry, I just.....Dan, were you at the cemetery last  
night because you were worried then to?"  
  
"You saw me there?"  
  
Zoe nodded. "I saw you leaving."  
  
"Oh. Well, I saw you and I didn't want to interrupt whatever it is you were  
in the middle of so I left without making myself apparent."  
  
"Was it because you were worried? Is that why you were there?"  
  
Dan looked around the empty elevator hesitantly. "Yes, ok. I was worried  
about you."  
  
"You were?"  
  
"Is that honestly so hard to believe Zoe?!" He shouted defensively.  
  
"No....I just...I didn't think you cared that much about......the kids..."  
  
"They're part of your life Zoe. I care about them because I care about  
you." He said softly.  
  
Zoe didn't respond. She stood there with her mouth slightly open. The elevator doors opened and Dan stepped out. She stayed in. He looked at her knowing that she wasn't going to follow him then and turned away to leave. The doors closed again and Zoe sank to the floor of it breathing heavily.  
Things were more confusing then ever.  
  
----------  
  
Around ten o'clock Zoe headed towards Starbucks to meet Marcos. He was  
already sitting at one of the tables with two coffees. When she sipped  
hers, she found that it was exactly was she was going to order.  
  
"I know you like that kind." He said.  
  
"Mm....Vanilla Cappiciuno Latte with triple exspresso....Thank you." She  
responded and they fell silent. "So..."  
  
"Zoe, I have a confession to make." He blurted out.  
  
Her face turned to shock, not expecting him to want to talk first. "O-ok."  
She said unsure but gave him a look to continue.  
  
"Last night.....I said I was visiting an old friend at the cemetery. It  
wasn't just an old friend."  
  
"What?" She asked confused but curiously.  
  
"It was my ex-fiancee." He said and Zoe's mouth slightly dropped.  
  
"Ex-fiancee?" She asked in confusion. "You......you were engaged before.  
You never said that."  
  
"I know, but I didn't want you to think I was the kind of guy who just  
proposed to get married."  
  
"Why would you think that I would....even..think like that Marcos?"  
  
"I was engaged to her for less than a day, Zoe. Before...."  
  
"Before she died?" Zoe guessed.  
  
"Before she was killed." He corrected.  
  
"Killed?...." She asked with a shaky voice. "Killed how?"  
  
"She was murdered." He responded with a sad tone.  
  
Zoe's face turned to shock. "You didn't...."  
  
"Of course not!!" He said knowing that she thought he did it. "I'm mad you  
even...eh..." He said in exhaustion. "Listen, I don't want you to worry  
about me anymore Zoe."  
  
"What are you talking about Marcos?"  
  
"I'm leaving." He said.  
  
"Leaving where? When? For how long?" She asked immediately.  
  
"Virginia. In a few days. And as far as I'm concerned, forever." He  
answered.  
  
"Virginia? Forever? Why?"  
  
"Got a job there. Got some family there."  
  
"But what about Chicago? What about your family here or your friends here?"  
  
"You mean my few colleagues that couldn't give a crap about me and those  
dirtbags I call cousins?"  
  
"I'm talking about myself....Marcos...what about Cliff? And Taylor, and  
Hannah? Those kids really like you."  
  
"They'll like Dan better, trust me." He said and Zoe looked away hurt. He realized it. "I...Zoe..I didn't mean that like that. I meant you're better  
off with Dan, so they'll be better off with Dan to." He said.  
  
Zoe looked at her coffee cup and sighed. "So this is goodbye?" She asked.  
  
"I'm so glad I got to be in your life again Zoe. I know I meant something to you, but sometimes things like that don't always last. So, yes, this is  
goodbye."  
  
Zoe held back her tears. All the confusion and the thinking were able to  
stop now. She didn't have to choose which path. Marcos had already done  
that for her. He smiled at her and stood up.  
  
"I'm going to visit Cliff one last time today but then after that, you all will probably never see me again." He added dramatically. Zoe stood up with  
him and he wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Letting me in." He stated plainly and then let go of her. He bent down and  
kissed her cheek. "Goodbye Zoe Busiek."  
  
"So that's it?" She said while a tear fell from her left eye and he walked out of Starbucks, leaving her behind. "Just leave like that?" She called after him. People around the coffee shopped looked at her sympathetically.  
"Bye Marcos." She stated quietly and grabbed her coffee to leave.  
  
----------  
  
Zoe sat in her car quietly before she started it. She had shed a few tears at the unexpecting news from her ex-boyfriend, Marcos, but she figured that life was meant to be this way. That this was all in the plan for her. She  
couldn't help but know that she would miss him at times. He had meant something to her. Not just as a boyfriend but as a friend. A shoulder to lean on sometimes. And he had definitely meant something to her kids. She didn't even want to know about his ex-fiancee being murdered. It would only make her feel worse knowing that something like that had happened to him in his past. When other people hurt, she hurt. Zoe told herself to let him go. That it was the right thing to do. He wasn't meant to be with her and he  
was moving on with his life, making some big changes on the way.  
  
Her concentration was broken by the sound of car horns at the stop light near the Starbucks. There was a car accident. A man had run a red light and smashed into another vehicle crossing the intersection. It reminded Zoe of painful memories filled with tragedy. It also reminded her of what Zoe had  
asked her sister for, a sign. She knew now that Dan was the right path. Marcos was leaving and that made him out of the picture. She realized that there had been signs all over the place. Dan being at the cemetery first  
and then at the hospital that morning, getting along with the kids. The  
conversation in the elevator and her discoveries of Marcos. His face  
running through her mind every spare minute of each day and his voice making her heart beat faster every time he spoke to her. The feelings that had been between them since day one. The kindness and flirtation he showed. Dan was supposed to be with her and now that she had made up her mind, she  
wasn't going to let one more minute come between them.  
  
Zoe picked up her cell phone and dialed Dan's. After about three rings, he  
answered.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Dan?"  
  
"Zoe? I'm glad you called. Listen, I thought you want to know that I've closed the Megan Rict case. That stupid construction company forgot to put  
out the sign like the family had accused. They are being charged for failure of proper construction procedure along with the hospital bills for  
Megan Rict. The family is getting our insurance on her car."  
  
"Is she ok?"  
  
"She's doing better. Speaking better and will be out of the hospital  
shortly. Her family can sleep at night now, along with her." He said  
happily.  
  
Zoe smiled. She knew he was smiling on the other side of the phone and it  
amazed her how he didn't have an ounce of awkwardness in his tone from  
their previous conversation in the elevator. She thought about what she  
needed to tell him but decided not to do it over the phone.  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"The office, why?"  
  
"I'm coming to see you. Don't go anywhere Dan. There's something I need to  
tell you." She said.  
  
"Why can't you just-" He asked but heard a click and then a dial tone  
before he could finish the question. "Ok..." He said and smiled at the  
possibilities.  
  
Within fifteen minutes, Zoe pulled into the office parking lot and ran into the building. She quickly took the elevator to their floor. When the doors opened she saw him walking towards his office with a file of papers in one  
hand, and a water bottle in the other. Zoe smiled and ran to him.  
  
"Dan!" She called.  
  
He looked in her direction and saw that she was running towards him. His eyes widen as she leaped into his arms with a huge smile on her face. Zoe's  
force threw Dan off his feet as she laughed childishly. He fell to the floor with her on top of him and the papers in his hand had scattered all over along with the water bottle. People around the office stared at them,  
a few laughing at the sight.  
  
"Zoe?!" He shouted shocked and confused but also laughing at her actions.  
  
Sophia had stepped out of her office at the sound of all the commotion and looked at the two shocked. She smiled after a while knowing what was going  
on. They were so cute together.  
  
"I love you Dan." She admitted and smiled down at him. He had one of his  
hands resting on her leg and the other on her arm.  
  
"What did you say?" He asked shocked.  
  
"I love you Dan Lennox." She repeated. There was a slight pause before she leaned down and touched her lips to his. They kept kissing for a minute as  
people around them applauded and said a few 'awws'.  
  
"I love you to Zoe." He said.  
  
She giggled at what she had done but he interrupted it with another kiss.  
Zoe moaned slightly at the feeling and kept giggling after they broke.  
Sophia walked up to them.  
  
"As cute as this is....we are in the middle of a running business here. Could you to possibly take it in one of your offices?" She stated and asked  
quietly.  
  
Zoe laughed loudly this time and got up from Dan. He sat up and started collecting the papers that had been scattered. Zoe walked around him and stood next to Sophia. The colleague and friend leaned over in Zoe's ear.  
  
"Congratulations." She whispered. "You two are very cute together." She added and walked away leaving Zoe with an even bigger smile. "Back to work  
people. Shows over!" She yelled while closing the door behind her.  
  
"Yeah, we are cute." Zoe said to herself quietly.  
  
Dan finished collecting his things and stood up in front of her. "Your  
office or mine?" He asked, his body being inches away from hers.  
  
She giggled. "You pick." She said.  
  
He smiled and took her hand with his free one. Dan slowly led Zoe into his office and closed the door behind them. He threw the file on his desk and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as he placed her on the couch and kissed her again. As he was kissing her neck, she looked up as if something  
was there that only she could see.  
  
'And we live happily ever after...' She thought to herself. 'Thanks sis.' She added and giggled again at the feeling of Dans lips against her skin.  
  
  
  
Me: The End! That's it people. The last chapter of I Do Or I Don't. I hope you liked this story. I enjoyed writing it. Wild Card is a great show and very amusing to watch on Sunday nights. Review and make me happy!!!! Love,  
Shannon! 


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